I recently received my MRI results (I had to pick them up since the doctor will not call back).

I am so confused on what this all means...here is what the report reads:

At c5-6: A prominent left pramedian focal disc protrusion extends approximately 5mm beyond the posterior vertebral body margin and significantly affects the central canal and left lateral recess. No bony neural foraminal stenosis.

c4-5: degenerative disc disease and broad based disc osteophyte complex slightly narrows the central canal and flattens the anterior thecal sac contour. The AP diameter of the central canal at this level is 9mm. There is no significant neural foraminal narrowing.

Please, please can someone explain what all this means????

Thank you so very much for ANY info on this matter.

The following 2 users give hugs of support to: feduphubby1dogmama45 (01-08-2011), mchelle004 (04-20-2011)

Hi I really dont know too much about your MRI results although I have had several of them. Would it be helpful to call the dr's office and talk to the nurse? I have called and talked to the nurse several times about mine. I know what it is like to worry about test results. Take care.

I have degenerative disc disease also. Mostly it means that the discs between the vertabrae are collapsing to some degree either by herniating or drying out. Your diagnosis says that at the C5-C6 vertabrae area, the disc is protruding by 5mm and is affecting the central spinal canal. The C4-C5 disc and an ostephyte (bone spur) are doing a small amount of narrowing. I'm not a healthcare person; I've just had some of the same problems and learn what some of the words mean. I do think you should get a better doctor; one who won't communicate with you is pretty useless. There are several websites that will let you find out what people think of a particular doctor. They let you look for a location and type of physician if you're trying to find another one! Anyway, hang in there! I had C5,C6 and C7 operated on in 2006 and I'm doing fine. My C6 was rubbing on the bone of C7 and C5 was sliding forward!!
I will keep you in my prayers!!

The following user gives a hug of support to dogmama45:music47 (01-13-2011)

Hi. I'm Jenny and I hang out on the Spinal Cord Disorders board where all of us with neck problems hang out.

Just to clarify your MRI results(I interpret lots of these), at C5-6 you have a herniated disk that has squished all the way into the spinal canal(where your spinal cord is) but is not touching anything so far. But it is taking up space, in the center part and the left side. It may eventually start to affect the nerves to your left arm but so far so good. And even better, you show no signs of having spinal stenosis where the bone of the spinal canal starts to thicken up for no reason.

But at the level above that...C4-5, you have a different problem. You have a herniated disk that has also formed bone spurs from osteoarthritis and together, they have formed a disk/osteophyte(bone spur) complex that is pushing into the spinal canal too. And this one goes further than the one below it. Your spinal cord is surrounded by a thin barrier called the thecal sac. It hold the spinal fluid around your spinal cord. It is this sac that has gotten flattened by this disk/osteophyte complex. But there is no mention of the spinal cord itself being compressed by it which is good. And your nerves to your body are not affected either...another good thing.

But over time, that disk/osteophyte complex will grow and probably start to press on your spinal cord. You may find that your toes feel somewhat numb or your legs are stiff. Your hands may feel a little numb and you drop things. Those are subtle signs that you need another MRI. Something touching the spinal cord can cause problems anywhere in the body below that level so for you, it would mean shoulders and down. Could cause pain but more likely to cause numbness and muscles that don't work quite right. But it can go on for a long time before it does any kind of permanent damage and you'll know it well before that happens. Don't worry that you'll wake up paralyzed some day....you'll have YEARS of warning before that happens. And sometimes, they stop growing and nothing happens.

Just because it may touch your cord is not that bad....I had that in several areas and my cord was half thickness by the time I had surgery and I got all those little areas of trouble back just fine. So don't panic...this happens all the time and may never need surgery. The longer you can wait to have anything done about it, the better. There are brand new surgeries that don't use fusion to fix the problems and they are the next big thing in spine surgery. You don't want a fusion if you can avoid it. So wait as long as possible to do anything about it.

Are you having any symptoms right now from this?

hugs..............Jenny(fused from C3 to T1)

The Following User Says Thank You to jennybyc For This Useful Post:etIII (07-12-2011)

others have already explained to you better than i can what your mri means..
i too have ddd, degenerative arthropathy, osteophytes and a multitude of other spinal disorders in my lumbar and cervical. i also have spinal canal stenosis at c3/4 ap of 9mm along with a herniated disc (to both sides).
my dr said his main concern is the stenosis, and we just have to keep a close eye on the stenosis. due for another mri next month, which we will make the appt today when i go in to see the dr.

Msgenerallee....just to let you know that there is a brand new surgery for spinal stenosis in the neck that does not involve fusion(fusion is when the trouble starts). It's called a laminoplasty. They remove the bone over the back of the spine and rebuild it to double the amount of space for the cord. Do some research and if and when the time comes you need to fix the stenosis, look for a doc who does the surgery. Really new and good.

thanks for the info jenny! oh believe me- once my dr says i need surgery, i will have the best dr i can find doing it. would love to go to mayo clinic but the nearest one is a days drive and we would have to be there for lord knows how long. my sil is a rn in atlanta & she will help me find the best cervical spine dr in the state. most dr's where we live are quacks and there is no way one of them will cut on my neck. i already know the risk involved and i want the best dr my insurance covers in our health plan.

I recently received my MRI results (I had to pick them up since the doctor will not call back).

I am so confused on what this all means...here is what the report reads:

At c5-6: A prominent left pramedian focal disc protrusion extends approximately 5mm beyond the posterior vertebral body margin and significantly affects the central canal and left lateral recess. No bony neural foraminal stenosis.

c4-5: degenerative disc disease and broad based disc osteophyte complex slightly narrows the central canal and flattens the anterior thecal sac contour. The AP diameter of the central canal at this level is 9mm. There is no significant neural foraminal narrowing.

Please, please can someone explain what all this means????

Thank you so very much for ANY info on this matter.

it means that you probably are going to need anterior surgery you have some bulging disc and possibly a herniation...i just had c4-6 fixed with cadiver bone graft and titanium plate ....find you a good doctor.i am not better but it has only been 4 weeks your thecal sac is close to your spinal cord surgery is a big step so think hard i had severe pain for 4 yyrs before i decided to fix it.and so far it didnt good luck

i also have had similar mris i am two back surgeries with fusions and recently neck surgery sometimes i wander if i waitd to long to have things fixed i waited 6 yrs on back and 4 years on neck so watch your symptoms and get help soon as you think you need it i couldnt put up with pain nymore i need another back surgery now but have decided to put off a little longer i can still walk...........concerned michelle